Sometimes to me it feels like being on a tightrope. If I am on the tightrope, and I am secure in my balance, then everything is fine. It's fun to be up there, and I feel secure and safe. I can relax.
But if I start to lose my balance, it stops being fun. The more out of balance I am, the more I feel that I need to grab onto something, anything, to save myself. I become desperate. And desperate people will do almost anything.
January on the whole was quite a BALANCED month for me. I fell off the tightrope for a couple of days but with the help of friends found my way back. What I find comforting is having the word hovering/floating in my mind, urging me to find the middle ground.
In just that way, when life is in balance it's fun. I am happy and secure. I have all of the things that I need, and I don't have a lot of worries.
When I have balanced my work time and my rest time, I am are not overtired, and apt to be cranky and show poor ability to gauge a situation.
When I have balanced my nutritional needs, my body becomes healthy, and I have more energy and feel better about everything.
When I have balanced my budget, I have enough money to meet my expenses, and aren't worried that my creditors are going to be knocking at the door, or that I will be going hungry.
When I have balanced the time I spend away from my family and the time I spend with them, no one feels neglected (neither myself nor my family) and so no one is demanding, and there is harmony in the home.
We know when we have achieved balance, because things run smoothly, and we can maintain them with joy and equanimity. We don't need someone else to tell us; in fact no one else can tell us, any more than someone else can tell us when we are balanced on our bicycle. Remember learning to ride? Took a while to find our balance, didn't it? But when we had, we knew it. We could feel it.
It's just exactly like that.
I am learning that the balance needs to be found before it can become automatic, and find it by leaning a little in one direction or the other until it's there. When it is, I will know it. And I won't let anyone else tell me I are wrong.
You may need four hours of sleep a night to stay in balance. Some people really do need only four. You may need ten. Some do. Don't let anyone tell you you should need eight. You need the amount you need to feel rested and alert, day after day after day. Get it, and your whole life will improve!
When we find the balance in any portion of our life, and we will find our whole life improving! When we are truly balanced, I think we will find that we have lost all desire to hurt other people.
At the core of everything that philosophy is teaching me, is a commitment to keep learning and then sharing what is learned with others who care to listen.
Sculpture by the Sea - November 2008 - Another example of balancing.
11 comments:
Wow, balance is something I am always striving for. I understand that feeling of desperation that I am going to topple over if I dont get a firm grip. Great post. I am going to be so interested in learning right along with you. Thanks!
Balance really should have been my word for the year! I stay so whacked out of balance, it's a running joke with me. I stay at school way too late each day, I work at home, I help my daughter with her school work, and I am constantly feeling like I can't get anything done right! I will read and reread your post. And I will go to bed at a reasonable time.... THAT will help me more than anything, I'm sure!
Roban
Lilly - BALANCE is my WORD for the year, instead of a making a resolution, a word that will empower me. So far so good, at least I made it through January!
Roban - That is the beauty of the 5 of us posting each month about our WORDS. I will learn about JOY and FAITH, DISCIPLINE, ABUNDANCE, EXCELLENCE. It is great that we are all in it together supporting each other.
Oh how I try to stay balanced. It's so hard for me. I need to work on this...and blogging does not help...lol!
What a great post! Some people only need 4 hours of sleep, huh? I'm so not one of them, but if I were, I would be able to get soo much stuff done!
Namaste Peggy,
It's really nice to read that you made it through Jan, pretty well. May you manage to balance it all, all year round. And yes, I care to listen to every word of what you say, forever & always.
Blessed Be,
Meow
Caroline - As long as we give our full concentration and enjoy each task we do, whether it be blogging, housework, cooking, walking etc I feel we are balanced.
Monica - I agree I need at least 8 hours sleep or I feel sluggish all day. I go to bed way to late, don't know if I will ever be able to change that habit.
Meow - You are a very sweet person. I do take blogging seriously. It is a wonderful tool for learning and teaching.
Balance is a great idea in principle but almost impossible to maintain in practice as outside influences and other people will always come into the equation! It is a good thing to aim for, however. I suppose if you are disciplined enough you can ignore the outside influences and maintain the balance.....but is that realistic? CJ
I agree that when you focus on a WORD it stays with you every day and teaches you its meaning along the way. Maybe when there are so many days of Balance you will enjoy it so much that your choices will naturally become balanced. I think you are there now actually. I am hoping the with more and more abundant days I will do the same even when I have no control over the day!!
Good Morning! I have my post ready for Saturday and I have a new playlist for February's abundance theme..Express Devotion. It was fun there are some great Love Songs from my jr high days! Hope you are having as much joy from your Balance word as I am from Abundance. Talk soon!
Okay, I'm going to have to follow your blog if you don't mind.
Steady On,
Reggie Girl
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